How to manage volunteers and members in one database

Give every person one record with roles such as member, volunteer and donor. You avoid duplicates and see the whole relationship.

You manage volunteers and members in one database by giving every person a single record and letting roles such as donor, member and volunteer sit on that same record. That way you see the whole relationship, you avoid asking people for the same details twice, and nobody gets a "please become a member" mail when they have been a member for years. WeGlow CRM has dedicated volunteer and member modules on top of the shared contact list.

Why one database beats three spreadsheets?

Most associations grow three lists without meaning to: a donor file, a membership register and a volunteer roster. Soon the same person appears in all three, with three spellings of their name and two outdated addresses. The cost shows up in small embarrassments: a thank-you to someone who is no longer a member, a reminder to a volunteer who moved away. One record per person fixes that at the root.

How do volunteers work in WeGlow CRM?

According to the WeGlow feature overview, the volunteer module covers the practical side of organising helpers:

A sign-up form and a list of requests you approve before someone becomes an active volunteer.
Shifts and events shown in a calendar, so you see what is covered and what is not.
Availability and skills, which help you match the right person to the right job.
Compliance, such as screening, where your activities require it.
Reminders and mails to volunteers, with rich content, so people do not forget their shift.

How do members work?

The members module handles the administrative side of a membership organisation:

A member list with dues (contributions) and payments.
A member sign-up form that can include documents and signatures.
Member events with RSVP, including your own custom questions.
Recruit invites and member mails.
Member numbering, so every member gets a number according to your own rules.

Both modules are on by default and can be switched off by your organisation in the CRM settings. A small association that only has members does not need to see volunteer screens, and the other way round.

One person, three roles

Take Marie. She gave €50 last Christmas, joined as a member in March and helps at the bar on event nights. In a shared database her record shows all of it: gifts in the timeline, membership status and dues, shifts she worked. When you plan a thank-you evening, you can see at once who deserves an invitation. If duplicates sneak in, the duplicate finder merges two records and keeps gifts, notes, tags and memberships together.

Practical tips for a clean database

Five habits keep your database clean.

Decide who is responsible for updating the data, ideally two people so that holidays do not break things.
Use tags for temporary things (event helper 2026) and modules for lasting things (member, volunteer).
Ask for consent per purpose: someone who agrees to volunteer mails has not necessarily agreed to fundraising mails.
Give each colleague only the access they need. WeGlow CRM team roles (administrator, editor, viewer) are enforced in the database.
Review once a year who is still active, and archive or delete the rest.

What does it cost?

The CRM, including these modules, is priced by number of contacts, excl. VAT: from €29 per month (or €300 per year) for up to 1,000 contacts, €59 for up to 5,000, €89 for up to 10,000 and €149 for up to 25,000. Check the current prices in your dashboard. A volunteer or member counts as a contact like anyone else, so mind the size of your database.

Try it: import your member list first, then add your volunteers.

Where do you start if you use three lists today?

Start with the list that is used most, usually the member list or the donor list. Import and check it first. Then add the second list: the system recognises people who already exist, so you avoid creating duplicates. Finish with the volunteers. Finally, ask your volunteers to confirm their own details and availability through the sign-up form, so you do not have to type everything yourself.

What changes for your team?

Less double work and fewer questions like "is this person already somewhere?". The treasurer sees dues, the volunteer coordinator sees shifts and the fundraiser sees gifts, but it stays one story per person. That also makes handovers easier when someone leaves the board.

One last tip: note in your internal working agreements who may change which data and who may only view it. That keeps your database reliable, even when the team grows or changes.

Can the same person be a member, donor and volunteer?

Yes. That is the point of a single contact record. Each role adds its own information to the same dossier.

Do I have to use both modules?

No. Members and volunteers can be switched on or off separately in the CRM settings.

Do volunteers need a different kind of consent?

Consent is tied to a purpose. Keep volunteer communication, member communication and fundraising communication separate in your records. See our GDPR article. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

WeGlow CRM feature overview: volunteers and members modules (checked on 2 October 2026).
EUR-Lex: GDPR: consent per purpose (Article 6 and 7) (checked on 2 October 2026).
European Commission: legal grounds for processing data: consent must be given for a specific purpose (checked on 3 October 2026).
WeGlow subscription prices in the dashboard (checked on 2 October 2026).